1. Field of Invention
The present disclosure relates to operations in a subterranean formations. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a system that uses fluid pressurized by electrically powered pumps for fracturing and for pump down operations.
2. Description of Prior Art
Hydraulic fracturing is a technique used to stimulate production from some hydrocarbon producing wells. The technique usually involves injecting fluid into a wellbore at a pressure sufficient to generate fissures in the formation surrounding the wellbore. Typically the pressurized fluid is injected into a portion of the wellbore that is pressure isolated from the remaining length of the wellbore so that fracturing is limited to a designated portion of the formation. The fracturing fluid slurry, whose primary component is usually water, includes proppant (such as sand or ceramic) that migrate into the fractures with the fracturing fluid slurry and remain to prop open the fractures after pressure is no longer applied to the wellbore. A primary fluid for the slurry other than water, such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, foam (nitrogen and water), diesel, or other fluids is sometimes used as the primary component instead of water. Typically hydraulic fracturing fleets include a data van unit, blender unit, hydration unit, chemical additive unit, hydraulic fracturing pump unit, sand equipment, and other equipment.
Traditionally, the fracturing fluid slurry has been pressurized on surface by high pressure pumps powered by diesel engines. To produce the pressures required for hydraulic fracturing, the pumps and associated engines have substantial volume and mass. Heavy duty trailers, skids, or trucks are required for transporting the large and heavy pumps and engines to sites where wellbores are being fractured. Each hydraulic fracturing pump is usually composed of a power end and a fluid end. The hydraulic fracturing pump also generally contains seats, valves, a spring, and keepers internally. These parts allow the hydraulic fracturing pump to draw in low pressure fluid slurry (approximately 100 psi) and discharge the same fluid slurry at high pressures (over 10,000 psi). Recently electrical motors controlled by variable frequency drives have been introduced to replace the diesel engines and transmission, which greatly reduces the noise, emissions, and vibrations generated by the equipment during operation, as well as its size footprint.
On each separate unit, a closed circuit hydraulic fluid system is often used for operating auxiliary portions of each type of equipment. These auxiliary components may include dry or liquid chemical pumps, augers, cooling fans, fluid pumps, valves, actuators, greasers, mechanical lubrication, mechanical cooling, mixing paddles, landing gear, and other needed or desired components. This hydraulic fluid system is typically separate and independent of the main hydraulic fracturing fluid slurry that is being pumped into the wellbore.